Guidance and Counselling
Good Counsel College Guidance Counselling Department assists and encourages students to work towards achieving their potential by making informed choices about their lives in all respects – personal, social, educational and vocational. It also provides sensitive care and support to students when faced with life’s transitions and challenges.
Guidance Counselling is part of the Pastoral Care System in Good Counsel College. The Guidance Counsellors provide advice and support about a range of issues, including college advice, educational information, decision making, relationships and personal issues. The Guidance Counsellors are available to meet with students in a confidential environment where students can be cared for and supported throughout their time in Good Counsel College to ensure they can maximise their potential.
Out Guidance Counsellors liaise with Year Heads, Subject Teachers, AEN staff, School Chaplains, Deputy Principals and Principal. They also have regular contact with parents, psychologists, universities, representatives from SOLAS, employers and the Department of Education.
The Guidance Counselling Department provides support for all students in the three pillars of Guidance.
Educational Guidance
This area of Guidance recognises student’s different learning abilities and their inherent talents. Each students is encouraged to optimise their learning skills. This involves helping students choose Junior and Senior Cycle subjects, choosing senior cycle programmes such as Transition Year or Established Leaving Certificate, subject levels and advising students in managing their learning.
Personal and Social Guidance
This area empowers students to make decisions, solve problems, change behaviour and resolve issues in their lives, through individual counselling and referral to a counsellor or outside agency.
Career and Vocational Guidance
This area of Guidance helps students to identify career and vocational goals by developing their self-analysis skills and sourcing and managing career information. Career and Vocational Guidance involves having an understanding of the pathways into higher education and identifying strengths and weakness from the results of various interest and aptitude tests.
Parents Presentations
CAO and Further Education and Training Information Night
Click here to view presentation
Junior Cycle Subject Choice Parents Information Night
Click here to view presentation
Senior Cycle Subject Choice Parents Information Night
Click here to view presentation
6th Years Careers Information
Any important information that comes in the careers office for the attention of 6th years will be sent to students on the 6th year groups team and or to 6th years via their Good Counsel College Email. It is therefore very important that all 6th years ensure they are checking their Teams account on a regular basis. Career events and upcoming school talks and notices will also be available on the designated Good Counsel College Careers webpage from the CP link on the school website.
Useful Links
General Guidance & Counselling
- Department of Education – Guidance in Schools:
Offers comprehensive information on personal, educational, and career guidance. Includes policy documents, circulars, and resources for students and counsellors.
Link: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/publications/guidance/
- Institute of Guidance Counsellors (IGC):
Professional body supporting guidance counsellors in Ireland. Includes resources for students and parents, helpline details, and updates on national guidance initiatives.
Link: https://igc.ie/
Mental Health & Wellbeing
- Walk in My Shoes – Secondary School Resources:
Free classroom resources, competitions, and campaigns to promote mental health awareness in schools. Includes Transition Year programmes and teacher training.
Link: https://www.walkinmyshoes.ie/schools/secondary-school
Catalogue of Wellbeing Resources – Gov.ie:
- A curated list of wellbeing resources from the Department of Education, HSE, and other agencies to support mental health in post-primary schools.
Career Guidance
- Ireland’s leading career guidance website careers portal offers tools like CAO calculators, career interest tests, course databases, and sector profiles. Ideal for Leaving Cert students.
https://igc.ie/resources-parents/
